Golden Dreams
by Slaycinder
Summary: <html><head></head>Funny, Riku thought near-death experiences were supposed to be invigorating-terrifying, clarifying, every second of your life crammed behind your eyelids while the world frenzied out of control. But in the end it was nothing like that. In the end, Riku was just sore and pissed off. But it did get him thinking...</html>


**A/N: What began as a stupid, off-hand suggestion has gradually snowballed into a full-blown AU about changing your life after having a near-death experience—but with a twist! My sister, Roxysaurus-Rex, came up with the idea, but insists that I do the writing. There's a fair chance that she'll be collaborating with me on some of the chapters, so there may be some slight stylistic differences in the writing (though you may not even notice—our styles are actually very similar). Also, in the ****likely**** event that I lose focus and stop working on this story, she'll probably take over. ****Speaking of abandoned stories, I will hopefully get around to finishing **_**A Day of Mercy **_**one of these fine days.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own, nor do I claim to own any characters, locations or themes from the Kingdom Hearts franchise. **

**Golden Dreams**

**Prologue – Honey is for Bees**

_Honey is for bees, silly bear_

_Besides, there's jelly beans everywhere_

_It's not what it seems in the land of dreams_

_Don't worry your head just go to sleep_

His ears were so numb; the tiny bones within had been completely impounded by four uninterrupted hours of booming crowds and roaring music. The song tumbling out of his speakers sounded blurry and distant, occasionally swallowed by sputtering car horns and drunken squeals from across the lawn. Headlights and taillights swept across the dark windshield as he cranked the wheel and tapped the gas, gently coaxing his car over the grass and avoiding staggering throngs of concert-goers with lazy patience. His throat was sore and the lights were bright, and they had an hour-and-a-half drive home—probably longer, with traffic.

_It doesn't matter how you feel_

_Life is just a Ferris wheel_

_It's always up and down_

_Don't make a sound_

Sora was already out cold in the passenger seat. After collapsing into the car, he had clumsily strapped himself in, picked a "late-night driving song" and promptly fell asleep with his cheek nudged against the window and his fingers burrowed into the pile of cloth in his lap—the shirt he'd replaced with a band tee between sets. He murmured something every once in a while, and complained gutturally when the car pitched too hard, but Riku knew he was tapped out, and since that left him at the intersection of I'm Exhausted and My Co-Pilot is Asleep, Riku saw a definite caffeine-geared pit stop in his future.

Having safely navigated the flood-lit lawn, Riku pulled the car up onto a dark gravel road, crawling into a never-ending line of taillights that fluttered between bright and brighter as the traffic started up and stopped again, inching away from the venue at an agonizing pace. Sora stirred a little in his sleep. Someone was screaming lyrics outside.

_When you wake up the world will come around_

God, he was thirsty. The second they escaped this gridlock, he was hauling ass to the first gas station he saw and cleaning it out of every water bottle and can of coffee he could find. Maybe some chips and jerky, too.

_It's just the sweet weather and the peacock feathers_

_In the morning, it will all be better_

_It's not what it seems in the land of dreams_

_Don't worry your head just go to sleep_

Riku prodded the gas pedal, encouraging the car to slip forward a few more feet before resting his foot on the brake. He flopped his head back against the seat and sighed, his gaze sliding over to Sora's sleeping face. His profile was cut by soft red lines—his bangs, his lashes, his nose, his lips. Riku watched his mouth roll like there was an odd taste on his tongue, and grinned when he grunted and nestled closer to the window. Something distracted him then—a flash in the rearview mirror. A crunching noise riding up the back of his neck.

_When you wake up_

Riku's body thrashed forward in a concussive lurch—his vision cut out— something sliced hot and sharp into his chest and his breath exploded in his lungs. The next thing he knew, his head was full of crunching and screeching, and his foot was practically punching the brake through the floor of the car. He was trapped in paralyzing pain, from the front of his skull all the way around his head and his neck, shock rattling around in his spine and tightening his shoulders. His fingers choked the wheel like vices. He thought he might be sick. The song was still playing.

_The world will come around_

"Riku? Are you okay? _Riku!"_

His vision was still flickering in and out, but he felt Sora's grip on his arm, heard his jarred voice. _Are you okay? Are you okay?_

"Son of a bitch."

"Riku—"

_Honey is for bees, silly bear._

_Besides there's jelly beans everywhere_

He couldn't bring himself to release the wheel. His throat was cinching up. He really thought he might be sick. He briefly pictured himself wrestling free of the car and retching onto the gravel, but everything was blinding and blurred with pain, and he was trapped. Trapped inside that screaming, deafening, debilitating pain. He refused to let go of the wheel. It was the only thing that was real anymore, that was solid, anchoring him to a world where the air was clear and the darkness wasn't pouring in.

"Riku, breathe—_breathe. _Are you okay?"

Sora was trying to pry his hand loose, but it wouldn't budge. Riku bravely opened his mouth, but the air wouldn't come. He swallowed the threatening wave of nausea in his throat.

"Just…Just whiplash," he gasped.

_It's not what it seems in the land of dreams_

"Riku? Riku, look at me—_Riku!"_

Sora suddenly sounded blurry and distant. Riku couldn't feel the hand against his wrist, couldn't see the lights whirling through a web of fractured glass. Something warm dripped from his eyebrow.

_Don't worry your head just go to sleep_

His ears were so numb.

**A/N: This was actually based off of my first car crash—0/10 would not recommend. Also, the song used was "Lullabye" by Fall Out Boy. I am a firm believer in the use of well-placed song lyrics to emphasize dramatic events in writing. Chapter 1 is on the way! Stay tuned.**

**-Slay**


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